Emphasizing the value of ingredients through beauty, health and mixing

「Specifically, we enhanced the value of the brand experience by developing the story behind “specialty coffee” through fair trade, including direct sourcing of coffee beans from their place of origin and the development of special blended coffee by an employee who won a siphon coffee competition, as well as through seasonal presentation. This resulted in average spend per customer reaching 103.8% of the previous year’s level.」

「Average spend per customer reached 103.8% of the previous year’s level. Through more sophisticated menu engineering, we will seek to improve margins while maintaining customer satisfaction.」

「In addition to increased demand resulting from the recovery in personal consumption and inbound consumption, the impact of price revisions implemented in response to rising raw material and other costs meant that both net sales and ordinary profit exceeded the levels for the same period in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.」

「Since November 2022, the Company has promoted “Tsukiji Monja” as its signature product, centered its menu on homemade mentaiko monja prepared in its stores, and changed the store exteriors to prominently feature monjayaki. These initiatives have led to the development of new customer segments and the acquisition of repeat customers, resulting in a substantial recovery in performance.」

「In the café business, cakes produced at the Company’s own cake workshop (confectionery) and in-store cake studios are positioned as “strategic products.” Using the Shine Muscat zuccotto, which was featured in the media during the previous fiscal year and achieved sales of 100,000 units, as a successful example, we will work to develop high-value-added menus capable of withstanding price pass-through.」

「As an Italian dining restaurant where customers can enjoy alcoholic beverages, we offer in-house fresh pasta and pizzas centered on a health-conscious concept at reasonable prices, for parties ranging from 1 person to groups.」

「Growth in both earnings and the number of stores was achieved through menu development centered on completely additive-free fresh pasta made in-house, the pursuit of beauty and health, and the abundant use of seasonal ingredients. In particular, menu items featuring premium sea urchin and salmon roe became an unprecedented hit, increasing both customer numbers and average spend per customer and driving double-digit growth at the Donna Group.」

「Sales at the Italian dining Donna Group totaled ¥1.908 billion, up 2.0% year on year. Centered on completely additive-free fresh pasta made in-house, menu development focused on pursuing beauty and health and using abundant seasonal ingredients, together with the introduction of dishes suited to drinking occasions and steak menus, drove growth in both earnings and the number of stores.」

「We continue to develop menus focused on beauty and health. In our completely additive-free fresh pasta made in-house, the initiative to increase the amount of vegetables, implemented with a focus on health-conscious customers, is gaining further traction, particularly among female customers.」

「We are also bringing “health and taste” to life by developing new products using ample amounts of domestically grown vegetables, including Shonan-Kamakura vegetables, and rich, flavorful products that are the secret to deliciousness. In addition to spaghetti made with abundant vegetables, we have introduced new menu items that offer new value, including premium okonomiyaki providing the 350 grams of vegetables said to be required per day, and Kainomi steak, a limited cut of Angus beef, sold by weight. Kinshicho Kotegaeshi, which has positioned “teppan steak and okonomiyaki” as its signature offering, has made a strong start and gained further momentum in the second quarter.」

「In addition to menus rich in seasonal character, dividing the four seasons into eight, the Company is rapidly developing new menu items under the themes of “beauty and health” and “events.”」

「We focus on “mixing,” which brings out the essence of ingredients from the perspective of “beauty and health,” and are pursuing a range of product developments. By substantially increasing the number of times natto is mixed, we have highlighted natto’s inherent qualities in the highly popular “Sticky Four Sisters and Ahoene Beauty Pasta.” We have also developed “Belgian Chocolate Cake” by increasing the number of times the chocolate is mixed. Among our signature chiffon cakes, the Ashinaga Premium Coffee Chiffon Cake has developed an even lighter, moister mouthfeel.」